Equestrian Doom

by tankmanbrony

A New Commander

Chapter Seven: A new Commander.

Spike was busy putting on his armor for the afternoon’s drills when he was informed he was need by his princess immediately. He ran through the passage ways making a loud noise in the process but he was after all eight feet high and clad in full armor except for his helmet. He was soon at the room of the High Command. He entered not expecting what he saw. A letter was grasped in Luna’s magical grip she was holding back tears but was barely successful as he saw one streak down her dark blue cheeks. He saw only Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy had failed terribly. Whatever that letter said must have been terrible news.

“Fillydelphia has fallen Spike.” Twilight said breaking the silence.

He wasn’t surprised but still it hit him hard.

“What exactly did that note say?” He asked

They filled him on how its contents and how they had just read the final words of pony. What he thought was most disturbing was how the soldier had apologized before he died to the princess for failure. But what elated him was the previous note; apparently Gorrog had taken a ballista blot through the chest.

“So Gorrog could have died during the assault?’ he asked hopefully.

“Perhaps but I would be surprised if that bastard survived that.” Said Luna

“He took a ballista bolt straight through the chest I would be surprised if didn’t die I mean what can survive a twelve foot bolt impaling them. Even that monster has to be dead.” He said incredulous that they entertained the notion that Gorrog was still alive.

“Even if he is dead his army is still alive and likely preparing for its next assault. He had, if the reports are true, a guard of five Hell Knights each one significantly stronger than the average Hell Knight and one could have assumed command. We will however assume that Gorrog somehow survived and will be at our doors soon. Each of you is start your preparations for a siege. Also we will be no longer the hub of all our forces instead, I have ordered the standard garrison increase form a pair of regiments to three divisions. That will shut off the flow of reinforcements as they fill their quotas and we will be forced to march against the demons soon. However I fear that his next target will be Canterlot.” Said Luna.

“Even if he did survive he will need time to recover from such a grievous wound. This gives breathing room until he is ready to strike again.” Said Spike

“If he could defeat Celestia by himself why did a simple ballista almost mortally wound him?” asked Twilight.

“Well he might not have been expecting it” said Applejack.

Spike didn’t know how the city would withstand an all-out attack from the demon horde especially if that massive demon he had seen would take part in it. It scared him wondering how they could stop such a monster. His attention turned back to the conversion when his new command was brought up.

“Spike you have gathered a battalion’s worth of ponies you have found to fit the size you desired?” Asked Luna.

“Yes I have conscripted them into the First Shock Battalion” he said “but I did use a few non-ponies”

“Excellent we shall have great need for them in the coming battle as your force will be primarily used to fight the Hell Knights of Gorrog’s army.”

Spike knew why he had been chosen to do this he had fought in single combat with five Hell Knights killing three. He had shocked even himself with his sudden growth. While Hell Knights still stood head and shoulders over him he wasn’t nearly as out muscled as a pony was nor as vulnerable to fireballs, but they also were incredibly resistance to even his fire.

“Twilight what have your studies of the demons taught you?” asked Luna.

“The one we captured a wraith is only of average strength but possess a primitive form of teleportation. But from what

I’ve learned firsthand from actually battle with the demons is that they can be killed by focused magical beams but are unaffected by most other forms of magic. Hell Knights seem to generally act as leaders except if there is a higher level demon around usually what I’ve learned from the experiences of Captain Stahl is white in appearance and is capable of summoning demons. Whether directly from Hell or Gorrog’s horde I don’t know.”

He too had read the report of Captain Stahl’s stand at the pass against the demons in the first large scale battle between the ponies and demons and which eventually resulted in a victory. He had wanted to speak with the veteran but hadn’t had the time due the new responsibilities he had as a commander of an entire battalion. The most difficult part had been selecting the officers to lead his soldiers but had chosen the captains and most of the lieutenants and was having them select the NCO’s. he decided that his abilities were best used with his soldiers now.

He was about to leave when Rainbow Dash asked “When do I assume command of the third army Luna?” asked Rainbow Dash. She had been especially anxious to get her command. He allowed himself a small smile thinking of how difficult it must be to be head of an entire army group.

He walked out of the room after making his excuses and walked back to his quarters. He had to start getting to know his officers and just as importantly he had to train with the monstrous sword that they had given him. It was five feet long; single edged and was thicker at the top than the bottom. He wanted to try it on a target but found that his duties as a commander prevented him from having much time at the training grounds. He had gone back to his room and retrieved his sword and put it in the sheath on his back.

He was about to start training when a soldier ran up to him.

“Commander Spike, you have been ordered by Princess Luna to oversee the fortification of our front gate and its surrounding walls.” Said the soldier.

Spike nodded and made his way from the training grounds to the gate. His approach was marked by his heavy footfalls while not the equal of a Hell Knight but they still shook small buildings when he entered. He looked at the walls of the city; they were about fifty feet tall and sixteen feet thick. He knew that not even the most determined demon would not be able to break through the fortifications but he also noticed a pronounced lack of the newest weapons in their arsenal, the ballista. Though they only had to defend a small section of the wall due to the main portion of the city being on a mountain and hanging off it with a small approach area over land. He reasoned that the flying demons would have an easier time assaulting the city but they would have to divide their forces to do so. If they could divide the land forces from their aerial counterparts than they would be easy pickings for the soldiers on the walls and the Pegasi to bombard from above.

“Captain I want at least fifty ballista over watching the ground pass into Canterlot and I also want the remaining ones set up in positions where they can provide fire support for the Infantry should the demons break down the gate”

“yes sir” replied the Captain.

He had been reading Twilights reports about ancient pony weapons of war and how to employ them so he a decent idea of how to set up defenses to slow down the demons enough that they could attempt to destroy their air support. He also was counting on the crystal ponies now that they had marshaled their army to start going on the offensive. He thought that this would take the demons by surprise but didn’t count on them arriving for a few weeks due to the remoteness of the Crystal Empire and the small network of transportation between the two nations. They would have to cross the moat to storm the gate and since it spilled off the cliff it would prove a difficult proposition especially with the fire from the walls pouring down on them. He would position the majority of the army’s archers in the walls with the rest in the towers that adorned the city’s surface. But the soldiers would be clustered around the gate and in the denser areas of the city where they would do the most good. They were already constructing fall back positions near the gate in case the demons broke through.
He gave the land a good surveying trying to spot areas where the demos would try to hide. Very spots existed where you could hide a creature the size of a demon let alone a Hell Knight cover from the towers and the wall. Then he remembered how they had attacked Fillydelphia, in mass swarming and battering down any obstacle in their way. The problem was that Fillydelphia was an open city not walled in like Canterlot. He hoped that Gorrog’s recovery would take long enough where they could fully prepare the city for a protracted siege. Already rations were being set an idea proposed by Applejack along with storing food. He didn’t think that the city would need to store a lot of food until he saw a list of how much it ate each day in tons. He was nervous about that part especially if the Demons trapped them inside the city. He shuddered at the thought of a massive famine.

He turned to see Princess Luna landing silently behind him.

“Spike I see that you are assembling our defenses but before you finish remember the ferocity and strength that our enemy wields. From what I have seen of Fillydelphia it was cleared of most of its ponies on the first days. I will not tolerate that to happen again.”

“Princess did anypony leave that city alive?” he asked.

“Very few mainly due to the sacrifice of that the soldiers garrisoned in the city made.” She replied solemnly “around two thousand.”

He knew where they were headed he also couldn’t imagine how betrayed they felt when they were abandoned to Gorrog’s savagery.

“how will we defeat Gorrog” he asked her.

“That is my responsibility. I brought him into Canterlot and he took my sister to her agonizing death. I will be the one who will bring down that monster” the resolve in her apparent from how her voice changed towards the end.

“I will help you in any way I can Luna.” He said softly pitying how cruel this war was to her.

“Thank you but you should worry about the ponies you are leading not me they will be the ones thrown against the demons and it will be them who will fill the streets of this city with blood.” She was about to say something else when he saw her suddenly shift backwards staring at him. “Did you feel that she said nervousness creeping into her voice?

“no” he said wondering why she was suddenly looking around almost scared.

“something is stirring, something powerful.” She said quietly “not even I as Nightmare Moon commanded such evil” She continued.

He looked into the distance suddenly a feeling of dread crept over him. Whatever it was if it could put an alicorn on edge it was something that must be truly evil.

“whatever it is we will probably have to face it in the coming battle” he said once again he could almost feel the hand on his shoulder but nothing happened only dread and fear.

Author's Note:

if you have any questions about something i haven't explained our just comments in general please post them and thanks for reading.

Comments

[Malcolm129]

Is doom guy in this?